Hello,
I have been using AutoCAD for years and one thing I have never fully undertsood is lineweights.
Ive never had to use them..so have had no experience of them. Maybe wouldve used them if my understanding of them was better.
Is there anyone out there that can explain lineweights in an easy to understand way where I can comprehend the benefit of having them in the first place??
Thanks!

7 views and no replies...maybe im not alone in this...what everyone has wanted to ask but been too afraid.

Such "conceptual" explanations (with no specific question/problem) are easier to find in the AutoCAD Users's Guide (F1 key).
 
Lineweights are just lineweights - they make the geometry appear "thicker" (press the LWT button on AutoCAD status bar to display lineweights).

Line weight is used to give emphasis to a drawing and are usually most beneficial when a drawing has been printed.  For example, when I worked in the civil field we drew all existing topographic features in a light lineweight but we drew all proposed changes in a heavier lineweight to be better able to distinguish between the two.What field do you work in?  Civil, architectural, mechanical, structural, other?Lineweight in AutoCAD can be controlled in a few different ways.  How many of them are you familiar with?

Vladimir,
Thanks but..
If F1 was the answer to understanding linewights and their use I wouldve understood years ago.
F1 is not the answer hence my post.

John,
Thanks for your reply -
Ive actually been using CAD for 13 years and I have been drafting for at least 38 years.
I am Building Services (Mech, Elec, Hyd, etc) so never needed to bother with lineweights.
If you have layers..and polylines what is the benefit of lineweights?



kazoo2011-09-01 01:27:37

I have used lineweights in schematics for a wastewater treatment system to differentiate between different subsystems.

Ive always used polylines..
sorry i still dont understand why you would choose a lineweight over a polyline - for example...
Im not trying to be funny..I just have some sort of mental block with lineweights. kazoo2011-09-01 01:26:38

Lineweights are more general than thick polylines - you can control this property for any (almost any) type of geometry.
 
My F1 brings me to:
http://exchange.autodesk.com/autocad/enu/online-help/browse#WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-727a.htm

Some users don't want to be bothered using polylines and assigning them a width so they use line "weight" instead.  To each his own.Lineweight can be controlled within the Layer Properties Manager, or by using polylines and assigning them a width, or within your ctb/stb plot style.  Take your pick.

Thanks guys..
I think I have a better understanding now....
Thanks for your help!
Hope its been beneficial to others as well !
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